Chopard and the Mille Miglia: A gentleman’s love affair with precision and passion

When Swiss Precision Meets Italian Soul

There's something deliciously romantic about a Swiss watchmaker falling head-over-heels for an Italian road race. It's like discovering your accountant secretly writes poetry—unexpected, yet somehow perfectly logical. Since 1988, Chopard has been the steadfast timekeeper of what Enzo Ferrari famously called "the most beautiful race in the world," and frankly, who are we to argue with Il Commendatore?

This year marks Scheufele's 37th pilgrimage to this altar of automotive worship, though he's trading his usual co-pilot—the legendary Jacky Ickx—for someone even closer to his heart: his son Karl-Fritz. Together, they'll pilot the family's beloved "metallic strawberry" Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, a machine so achingly beautiful it could make a grown man weep into his morning espresso.

The Art of Beautiful Timing

Here's where things get wonderfully nerdy in the most sophisticated way possible. The modern Mille Miglia isn't about who crosses the finish line first—it's about maintaining precise average speeds across designated segments. Think of it as a gentleman's agreement with mathematics, where your Patek Philippe becomes as crucial as your right foot. This is precisely why Chopard's partnership makes such exquisite sense. When every second counts, you want Swiss precision strapped to your wrist, not some questionable timepiece that gains three minutes during your morning shave.

Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Tribute to Sir Stirling Moss.

Two New Reasons to Accelerate Your Pulse

This year's mechanical poetry comes in two distinct verses. First, the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Tribute to Sir Stirling Moss—a 40.5mm love letter to the man who turned the 1955 race into legend. Only 70 pieces exist, honoring the 70th anniversary of Moss's record-breaking performance: 10 hours, 7 minutes, and 48 seconds of pure automotive ballet at an average of 97.96 mph. That record still stands, by the way, which tells you everything about the caliber of gentleman we're celebrating.

The second offering, the Mille Miglia GTS Power Control, sports a salmon-colored dial that's as bold as it is beautiful. At 43mm, it's sized for men who appreciate presence without pretense—the horological equivalent of a perfectly tailored dinner jacket.

Mille Miglia GTS Power Control.

The Route to Romance

The beauty of the Mille Miglia lies not just in its machines, but in its geography. From Brescia's cobblestones to Rome's eternal hills and back again, it's a 1,000-mile meditation on what makes life worth living. Through Verona (where Shakespeare's lovers met their fate), past Ferrara's Renaissance splendor, over mountain passes that have witnessed countless automotive pilgrimages—this isn't just a race, it's a masterclass in living well.

Over 400 classic cars will make this journey, each one a rolling piece of history, each driver a guardian of automotive culture. These aren't trailer queens or garage ornaments—these are machines built to be driven, loved, and occasionally cursed at when they refuse to start on a cold morning in the Italian Alps.

The Mille Miglia reminds us that true luxury isn't about having the most expensive toys—it's about understanding why some things are worth preserving, worth celebrating, worth passing down to the next generation of enthusiasts.

In a world increasingly dominated by screens and synthetic experiences, there's something profoundly civilized about strapping on a mechanical timepiece and piloting a classic car through the Italian countryside. It's analog pleasure in a digital age, and frankly, we could all use a little more of that.